The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-21
SCHOOLS FOR DEAF MUTES
Knightsof Labor Think They Are Needed
in Each Congressional District.
Origin of the Present State ms titution, Which
Is Now Incapable of Accommodating All
Who Apply for instruction.

There was mass-meeting of the Knights OF
Labor at their hall on East Washington street
yesterday afternoon, at which several questions
pertaining to the management of State affairs
were discussed. Among other things the manner
Of caring for and educating the deaf mutes of
This State was discussed The reports showed
that very small per cent of the deaf and dumb
children of the State could be accommodated at
the State Institute, resolution was passed
favoring the establishment of schools for the
education of deaf mutes in every congressional
district in the State. A committee consisting OF
j. F. Mahorney. FL. W. Clodfelter and Il. w.
Weber, was appointed TO prepare a bill. to be
submitted to the next Legislature providing for
the establishment of the schools according to
the spirit of the resolution.
Reference to industrial education in the Deaf
and Dumb Asylum led oae of group of gentle
men, yesterday. to speak of the origin of the in
stitution. sit isn he said "the development of
o special education for deaf mutes that began in
this State early in the forties. The first deaf
mute school was started in Parke county by a
man who claimed be graduate of the New
York State institution. The system of instruc
tion adopted by him was crude and narrow. If
he knew anything required by the profession of
teacher he could not impart it. the school did
not succeed. 1t never had more than six pupils,
but one of these, being the son of
Sheriff Bales, of Vermillion county.
indirectly led to the founding of the
institution the State now controls. The sher-
IFS son had been a pupil in the Ohio Deaf and
Dumb Asylum. and the father gained through
him some knowledge of how an institution of the
kind should be conducted. With his SYM
pathies and interest in deaf mute education
foundation for future legislative action in that
respect The teacher of the Parke county
school was poor, and the money he got for his
services from the parents of the pupils would
would hardly pay his board for a month nova
days. In l843 Sheriff Bales came to the Legis-
lature and among the first things he introduced
was q resolution giving the impecunnous Parks
county deaf mute instructor 5000 from the
States general fund. Il was the first time In
diana took cognizance of this class of instruc-
ton
In the summer of '43 Professor Willard. of the
Ohio Institution. came to Indianapolis and be-
gan a private school for deaf mutes. A few per-
sons manifested an interest in the school by 60
Ing Throughout. the State calling attention TO it
and securing pupils. It WAS opened in October
in that year. When the Legislature again met
a bill was passed making the school State in
stitution with Professor Willard principal.
He had thirteen pupils as nucleus. and when
the State took charge of his enterprise one more
deaf mute applied for admission. For
two years the school building was
1916 new quarters secured the south
side of Washington street. between Pennsylva-
mia and Delaware. About this time or perhaps
q little later, the Legislature took steps to pro-
vide for a permanent building. The question of
location became absorbing and led a fierce
contest on the part of several towns to secure
the school. Bloomington was the most persist
ant and offered aid in lands and money, but
large proportion of the people favored this city
on account of it's being the capital where they
eaid all the State institutions should be located.
The building. as it now is, with the exception of
some improvements made from tine to time,
sEas completed and occupied in October. 1890.
For erecting the building and maintaining the
school. special tax was levied until 1852, when
she needs OF the institution found place in the
regular appropriation bills for benevolent pur-
poses. Professor Willard was the head of the
school for long time. He still lives on East
Washington street. opposite the asylum; Among
the first trustees OF the asylum. or what were
then called a board of incorporators, were Henry
Ward Beeeher and Bishop Simpson"
There only 14l deaf mutes in the State
ffty-s seven y7ass ago. The present number is
near 1000 but the limited Accommodations of the
States institutios, provides for the care and in
struction of only 300 time. 1.-The instruc-
tion.' the gentleman continued, "begins too
late. Boys cannot be received into the institu-
ton until they are twelve, nor girls until they
are ten years old II there was more room chill
dren could be taken in when six years old and
given longer time for acquiring theoretical
and industrial education, which IS now limited
TO take children of the kindergarten
age. but such ELAN can not be
pushed now. Another curious facG IN connection
with the institution is that two-thrds of the
deaf mutes np 1860 were afflicted from birth.
SIEce that time the reverse is true. Two-thirds
hsse become deaf and dumb through fevers
such cerebro-spinal meningitis, typhoid and
others of severe character boy was recently
admitted who lost the power of hearing and
speech by being carried when infant into
damp cellar during storm. An excessive
Of quinne also appears frequently among the
eause of dumbness. 1t is also found that in
periods OF ten years, during which epidemcs
may have prevailed, the number of deaf
mutes is largely increased. while in tn decades
when there were epidemics the increase is
comparatively small anu is mostly from
genital causes"
Next Saturday. a result of the industrial
education at the asylum, the Indiana Deaf Mute
journal to be issued. It is TO be semi
monthly publication, in the form of a Eve col
folio. For the first number all the type
setting has been done since the 9Th of this
month by class of eight bows and eight girls
who until the day mentioned knew nothing at
all about the practical work of printing Office.
It 10 the purpose TO teach them, in time. job and
book work and to send them from the institu-
ton with q knowledge of the that will
able them to find early employment. Clarence
Crippen. of Michigan City is the foreman of the
Office The earnings from this work be
turned into the general fund of the State.
THE LATE VALENTINE BAKER
The Sensational Scandal that Led to His